Drive
by rika08
Summary: A pair of headlights came barreling around the bend…one the wrong side of the road. Ronnie felt her heart stop. She heard Will curse under his breath. The truck jerked to the left, trying to avoid the car. But it wasn't enough. R/W
1. Chapter 1: Ronnie

Ronnie

Rain poured onto the roof of Will's old pickup truck. Within seconds after he'd turned off his truck, the water had completely obscured the view through the windshield. Ronnie could hardly make out Will's figure outside her window. Granted, she was reading her book instead of looking outside her window.

Ever since Ronnie had finished her finals, Will and Ronnie had been on the road, heading back for Georgia for break. Will had let Ronnie drive the first half of the trip. While Will had enjoyed New York, he was still not used to the traffic in the city. Ronnie, however, was used to it and had no problem driving through New York.

Will's door opened. The sound of the rain grew louder as Will climbed into his seat. Will ran his hand through his soaking blond hair. Will reached over and ran his hand over Ronnie's face.

"Will!" Ronnie screeched. She pushed back his wet hand from her face. "What is wrong with you?"

Will laughed. "What it's just water."

Ronnie shook her head and closed her book. "Yeah and it's cold not to mention from your hair. Who knows when the last time you washed your hair was."

"Okay one, I washed my hair this morning before we left. And two it's not that cold out." Will explained. He reached for the ignition and started up the truck. The wipers started up instantly clearing the windshield.

"So, how far are we?" Ronnie asked.

"I'd say another hundred fifteen miles." Will answered.

Ronnie nodded. She undid her seat belt and moved closer to Will. She grabbed the blanket on the floor of the truck and covered Will's lap and hers with it.

Will smiled. "What are you doing?"

"What? If I'm spending another three hours in this truck I don't plan on spending it against this cold door." Ronnie explained. She pulled her legs up onto the seat and beneath the blankets. She leaned against Will's arm.

"You know I could just turn the heater on." Will said.

Ronnie pulled from Will. "Oh so, you want me on the other side of the cab?"

"Course not." Will said. He hooked his arm around Ronnie's shoulder. "I'm just saying it was a possibility."

"Okay then." Ronnie said. She leaned back against Will's arm that wrapped back around her shoulder.


	2. Chapter 2: Will

Will

Will hated driving in the rain. Ever since Mikey's death, Will avoided driving in the rain every chance he could. But since Ronnie had already taken her turn driving, and was already asleep against him, Will decided to man up and drive through the storm. Besides, she needed her sleep. After hearing about her finals, Will felt grateful he wasn't attending Julliard. And he could handle the rest of the driving. That was, until they reached the curves in the road.

Will slowed the truck down to the suggested speed as they reached the beginning of the curving road. Will moved his arm from around Ronnie's shoulder, needing both hands to steer the truck. The blanket lay in Ronnie's lap, just beneath her loose fitting shirt. Will gently nudged. Ronnie awake.

"Ronnie, put your seatbelt on." Will said.

Ronnie groaned and inhaled deeply. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing just put your seatbelt on." Will repeated.

"Kay." Ronnie said. She scooted across the cab.

Once Will heard the click of her belt, Will calmed slightly. He could feel Ronnie's tired, but concerned gaze on him. But Ronnie wouldn't push him is Will didn't want to talk. That was one of the things Will loved about her.

"I don't like driving in the rain. Not since Mikey…" Will trailed off for a second. "And the stretch of roads bad enough in the daylight, but it's dangerous in the rain."

"Do you want me to drive?" Ronnie asked.

Will shook his head. "No I can handle it. Go back to sleep."

Will carefully passed Ronnie the blanket they had shared. And although Will had suggested she go back to sleep, Will knew Ronnie wouldn't listen. He could tell she wasn't going to let him drive on a dangerous road while she slept.

Will watched the road through the rain splattered windshield. The trucks headlights managed to light up the road, but not enough to where he felt comfortable. He started thinking about the last time he'd replaced the tired on his truck. It had to be some time.

"Will if you want to stop we can. We'll just wait out the rain in the truck." Ronnie suggested.

Will shook his head but smirked. "No its fine, Ronnie. This stretch of roads isn't long, so we're almost through."

Stopping was a god idea, Will admitted. After all, he'd read about all the car crashes that had accumulated on this stretch of road. But since it wasn't a long stretch, Will decided to keep going through.


	3. Chapter 3: Ronnie

Ronnie

From the moment Ronnie woke up, she knew something was wrong. Will wouldn't simply nudge her awake without playing some sort of prank on her. As Ronnie opened her eyes, she knew could see the rain splattered wind shield in front of her still driving through the Georgia countryside.

"What's wrong?" she mumbled.

"Nothing just put your seatbelt on." Will said.

"Kay." Ronnie nodded and scooted from beneath the warmth of the blanket. The passenger seat was freezing cold, but Ronnie knew Will must've had a good reason to ask her to move over. Ronnie fumbled a moment with her belt before it clicked. She sighed deeply and folded her arms in front of her.

Without the blanket, Ronnie was quickly getting cold. The sleeves of her black shirt hung around her right arm and the left side was sleeveless. Ronnie stressed and holey bootcut jeans didn't help her retain any warmth.

Ronnie glanced toward Will. His eyes were focused, serious. She could tell there was something about this road that didn't settle well with Will, but she wouldn't push it. Will always told what he thought Ronnie needed to know.

As she predicted, Will opened his mouth to talk. "I don't like driving in the rain. Not since Mikey…" he trailed off for a second. "And the stretch of roads bad enough in the daylight, but it's dangerous in the rain."

"Do you want me to drive?" Ronnie asked. She'd driven her share, but she could handle the rest if Will was uncomfortable.

Will shook his head. "No I can handle it, go back to sleep."

Ronnie shot her eyes brows up. _Sleep? Yeah right._ She wasn't about to sleep while Will was driving on a road that made him uncomfortable. Not to mention one that reminded him about the day he lost his younger brother.

Ronnie looked out the front windshield. The road curved so often, Ronnie wondered how the drivers could see anyone else coming around the bends. It was no wonder Will wasn't comfortable driving on the road. Ronnie wouldn't be completely comfortable driving down this road. It wouldn't' be a bad idea to even stop completely…just until the rain stopped.

"Will if you want to stop we can. We'll just wait out the rain in the truck." Ronnie suggested.

Will shook his head but smirked. "No its fine, Ronnie. This stretch of roads isn't long, so we're almost through."

Ronnie smiled slightly and looked back out the windshield.

Suddenly a pair of headlights came barreling around the bend…one the wrong side of the road. Ronnie felt her heart stop. She heard Will curse under his breath. The truck jerked to the left, trying to avoid the car. Ronnie slammed into the car door, bashing her head against the window, causing the glass to spider. Ronnie kept her eyes closed as the truck continued to move. Her hand gripped the armrest against the door, holding on for dear light. She could hear Will calling her name.

But it wasn't enough. Just as Ronnie looked up through her broken window, she found herself staring into the headlights of the oncoming car. Coming right for her.


	4. Chapter 4: Will

Will

It was like reliving a nightmare. It came at them so fast Will barely had enough time to register what was happening. On instinct, he jerked the steering wheel to the left, hoping they'd move out of the driver's way. A sharp crack caught his attention. Will risked a glance from the road to see Ronnie's head against a broken window.

Before Will could call out to her, he felt the back of the truck drift from the rain. Will tried to regain control of the truck, but the slick road wouldn't let him. The truck began drifting to the left more, exposing the right side of the truck. Will looked at the other driver, seeing him adjust its course, right back at them again. Barreling into them along the passenger side.

There was no time to change course. No time to stop.

"Ronnie!" Will called.

The car slammed into the side of the truck at frightening speeds. Will slammed into his door. The air was filled with nerve pinching screeches of metal to metal contact. The car pushed the truck out of its way and continued down the street, but the truck didn't. From the force of the collision, the car shoved the truck through the guardrail and into the river below.

Terrifying memories flashed through Will's mind as the water rushed into the cap of his truck. Will struggled to unlock his seatbelt before the cab filled up with water. His heart raced adrenaline through his bloodstream. His belt came undone, allowing him to move to Ronnie's belt.

The water rushed through the cab, reaching up to his chest. Will worked with the belt as fast as he could. When it finally came free, the cab was completely submerged in water. Will took hold of Ronnie in his arms and opened the truck door. He kicked out of the truck, propelling them toward the surface. Will swam as hard as he could toward the water's surface.

Will broke through the surface, inhaling deeply. He adjusted Ronnie in his arms and he began to swim for shore. His body ached all over. Will was fairly certain something was either broken or bruise, and that the collision with the window had caused a gash in his head, but before Will could think about himself, he had to get Ronnie to shore.

Finally his feet scrapped the bottom. Will stood on the bottom and carried Ronnie to shore. He slowly set Ronnie on the ground, doing his best not to move her any more than she needed to, and any more than he already had.

Ronnie lay unconscious where Will had laid her down. A large gash was on the right side of her head, bleeding severally. There was no telling how hurt she was from the crash, let alone the fall into the river.

"Ronnie." Will called. "Ronnie can you hear me?"

"Hey, is anyone down there?" called a voice.

Will looked up/ He could see a figure outlined in another pair of car headlights.

"Call 911!" Will ordered. He looked back down t Ronnie as the rain continued to pour down on them.

"Ronnie, open your eyes." Will begged. "Come on sweetheart, open your eyes."


	5. Chapter 5: Ronnie

Ronnie

Ronnie was warm. She smelled the sea, and felt a cool breeze blowing over her skin. She opened her eyes, seeing a bright, warm sun setting in front of her. Ronne slowly sat up, finding herself on a beach, completely alone.

"Hey there darling." Came a voice.

Ronnie turned quickly. Her eyes grew wide in shock. "Daddy?"

Ronnie father strolled down the beach toward her. His skin was a warm, health color. He looked wonderful. Seeing her dad once more meant the world to Ronnie, but it also meant something terrible too.

Ronnie swallowed back her tears. "Am I dead?"

Steve smiled and shook his head. "No, sweetheart. You're not dead. Though it was a pretty close call."

"Then why am I here?" Ronnie asked.

Steve sat down in the sand beside her. "Well Ronnie, the only I can answer that would be to…say this was a sort of limbo. You're not dead, but you're also not quiet alive yet. You're in between."

"So what do I do?" Ronnie asked.

"You wait. Course, I get the impression that you won't be waiting here long." Steve said. "You'll be back with Will any second now."

Ronnie was silent. She turned her head and looked out at the sea. "Why did I show up here?"

Steve shrugged. "You got me. But what I've been told is that wherever someone ends up…it's usually where they felt the happiest."

Ronnie smiled and leaned her head against her father's shoulder. "I miss you daddy."

Steve leaned his head against Ronnie's. "I miss you too, sweetheart."

Suddenly Ronnie felt something in her chest. She could only assume that she was leaving her father. Ronnie closed her eyes, as the tears rolled down her cheek.

"It's going to be alight Ronnie, you'll see." Her father said.

"I love you daddy." Ronnie said.

"I love you two, sweetheart." Her father said.

Ronnie felt herself being pulled away from her father, from the beach. Pulled back to life.


	6. Chapter 6: Ronnie

Ronnie

The warmth was gone, as was the sand. In its place was a stiff blanket and lumpy foam around her. Ronnie could feel her body restricted in movement. Something was attached to her face beneath her nose. A faint rhythmic beeping echoed into her ears. And a hushed voice pleaded.

"Please don't take Ronnie. Please God, let her live."

Ronnie opened her eyes slowly. Her surroundings slowly came into focus. The lights were off but the light above her. She slowly turned her head, wincing at the slight pain she felt.

To her right was Will. He sat in one of the hospital chair, his head bowed in prayer. Ronnie could see the tape of his bandage on the left side of his forehead.

"Will." Ronnie croaked.

Will's head shot up quickly. Ronnie saw the tears he shed.

"Ronnie." Will said. He rose from his chair and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Where are we?" Ronnie asked.

"The hospital." He answered. "We were on our way to town when someone sideswiped us. Do you remember?"

Ronnie nodded slowly. Flashes of headlights and rain flooded her mind. "The…the truck went through the…guardrail."

Will nodded. "Yeah, it did."

Ronnie was silent. She turned her head, taking in all the events that she had lived through. Their truck had started to skid straight into the other car. The car had sideswiped them n her side and pushed them through the guardrail. If it hadn't been for Will she wouldn't be here. She could be with him on the beach still.

Will took her head. "Ronnie?"

"I saw him, Will." Ronnie said.

Will frowned. "Who?"

Ronnie looked up at him. Tears filled her eyes. "My dad."

Will was silent. Ronnie brought her left hand to her face as she broke down in tears. Will wrapped his arms around her shoulders as she cried.

Last night had nearly been that last for both Will and herself. They had been only second from joining Ronnie's father on that beach. And although Ronnie and Will both survived the accident, it was still overwhelming to think how close they had both come to death last night.


	7. Author's Note

okay, so this was my first Last Song fanfic...let me know what you think.


End file.
